Powdered catalyst regeneration and recovery



Aug. 19, 1947.

V. VOORHEES POWDBRED CATALYST REGENERATIN AND RECOVERY- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept. so, 1 941 ,RFQ Emwsw or] es f ,Z

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Patented Aug 7 19,- 1947` STATES PATENT f oI-Flcs POWDEBED CATALYST REGENERATION AND RECOVERY Vandervcer Voorhees, Homewood, Ill., assignor to Standard Oil Compan ration of Indiana y, Chicago, Ill., a corpo- Application September 30, 1941, Serial No. 412,964

' 5 omims. (c1. 25a-242).

This invention Arelates tothe conversion o! low therefrom. The object oi my invention is to effect substantially complete recovery of regenerated catalyst, i. e., to prevent the loss of regenerated catalyst nes from the system. A further. object of my invention is to provide an improved method for absorbing the heat liberated in the regeneration step. Yet another object is to obtain more rapid regeneration. of catalyst under conditions favoring increased catalyst life.

In large commercial installations it has heretofore been considered necessary to recycle large amounts of regenerated catalyst through a heat exchangerand back to the regeneration zone in order to prevent regeneration temperatures fromv exceeding safe limits. An object of my invention is to avoid the necessity of catalyst recycling and to avoid the necessity of using costly heat exchangers in ,the regenerator. A further object of the invention is to utilize a multi-Stage powdered catalyst regeneration system wherein a substantially oxygen-free ilue gas is produced in one stage and an oxygen-rich ilue gas is produced in another stage vso that these separate flue gas streams may be separately handled and utilized in a refinery. A further object is to minimize the amount of heat liberated in the regeneration zone itself and to provide an improved method whereby at least a substantial part of the carbon monoxide produced in one stage may be burned with an oxygen-rich flue gas from another stage in a zone outside of the regenerator.

A further object is to obtain more complete catalyst regeneration than has been possible in any commercial plants heretofore designed. A further object is to increase the yield and quality of a product produced in the conversion step by virtue ofa more efficient catalyst regeneration system. Other objects will be apparent as the detailed description ofthe invention proceeds.

effected by means of a powdered catalyst which is l maintained in a dense turbulent suspended catagen-containing gas such as air.

lyst phase. Spent catalyst from the conversion step is stripped for removal of hydrocarbon vapors. The stripped spent catalyst is then regenerated by burning carbonaceous deposits therefrom while the catalyst is suspended in an oxy This regenera-- tion may be effected in a single stage or in a plurality of stages. In the single stage, or in the last stage if a plurality of stages are employed,

the catalyst regeneration is effected while theA catalyst is in dense phase turbulent suspension in a regeneration gas of which the oxygen content is about 10% to 20%. For example, `air may be introducedvinto this regeneration zone in such amounts that the gases leaving the regeneration zone contain at least 10% and preferably about 15% of free oxygen.

The use of this high oxygen concentration brings about a more complete regeneration than has heretofore been possible andthis in turn leads `to higher yields of better quality products in the conversion step. The use of high oxygen concentrations would in ordinary systems lead to overheating in the regeneration step, particularly in the absence of heat exchangers or means for recycling catalyst through a cooler. 'lIhe regeneration system is large enough to accommodate a suillcient amount of regeneration gas such as air so that all of the heat of combustion`that is.not absorbed bythe catalyst itself and not lost by radiation is carried arway by the regeneration gases themselves. In a 10,000 barrel per day unit this may require about three or ve times the amount of air that has been heretofore required and a regeneration chamber of at least twice the Y previously employed system of recycling catalyst ides are regenerated to a higher state of oxidation.

By employing a plurality of stages I may introduce suflicientair into the first stage so that its complete utilization in the combustion will not give rise tounduly high temperatures. The catalyst from this stage may then be introduced into In practicing my inventionthe conversion is a regenerator of suiciently larger diameter so The 3 that the heat liberated in the remainder of the combustionwill be substantially entirely absorbed in the regeneration gases themselves without exceeding safe regeneration temperatures.

The regeneration gases from this rst stage contain substantial amounts of carbon monoxide. In the second stage the combustion products are chiefly carbon dioxide and the regeneration gases will contain a large excess of oxygen. By burning the flue gas from the first stage with the excess oxygen contained in the flue gas of the second stage in a zone outside of the regeneration chambers the problem of catalyst temperature control is minimized and a high temperature ue gas is produced which is particularly useful as a source of heat or power because of its high temperature level.

In the two-stage system most of the catalyst fines will leave the system with the gases from the first regeneration stage and since the amount of such gases is relatively small when compared with the gases leaving the second regenerator stage, I greatly simplify the problem of catalyst tain this dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase at a density of about to 18 pounds per cubic foot. This particular phase is characterized by such turbulence that uniform temperatures prevail in all parts of the system, i. e., the catalyst itself acts as a heat carrier for almost instantaneously distributing heat throughout the entire zone v thereby eliminating any possible hot spots or recovery. Such catalyst may be recovered by scrubbing with feed stock, by centrifugal separation, by filtration, by electrostatic precipitation or byother means but in any case the recovery system may be much smaller and less expensive than when used for treating the total volume of regeneration gases.

My invention will be more clearly understood from the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic ow sheet of one embodiment of the catalyst regeneration and recovery system used, and

Figure 2 isa diagrammatic flow sheet of a catalytic conversion system together with another embodiment of the catalyst regeneration system used.

In the reaction step the catalysts are usually contacted with oil at a temperature of about 800 to 1100u F. under such conditionsas to effect the desired conversion. After a certain on-stream or residence time in the reactor the catalyst bebecomes so coated with carbonaceous material that it .must be regenerated. The carbonaceous material contains both carbon and hydrogen and since the regeneration is effected by combustion of the carbonaceous deposit, the regeneration gases contain carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and steam with perhaps small amounts of sulfur dioxide where sulfur compounds were contained in the original charging stock.

The catalyst in the following examples is in powdered form with a particle size of about 10 l to 100 microns. The invention is applicable to other catalyst sizes, e. g., 2 to lumicrons, provided only that the catalyst be of such size and density that it may be aerated and handled as a fluid in the manner herein described. When such powdered catalyst has been allowed to settle for ten minutes or more its bulk density may range from about 30 or 40 or more pounds per cubic foot. With slight aeration, i. e., with vertical gas or vapor velocities of about .05 to .5 feet per second, the catalyst is maintained in fluent form with a bulk density of about 20 to 35 pounds per cubicA foot. When the catalyst is suspended in gases or vapors having a vertical velocity of about .5 to 4, preferably about 11/2 to 21/2 feet per second, the catalyst assumes a dense turbulent phase the density of which may range from about 10 to 25 or more pounds per cubic foot. I preferV to employ such gas or vapor velocities as to mainlocal overheating. Above this dense turbulent suspended catalystphase and in transfer lines the catalyst is in a dilute or dispersed phase the density of which may be as high as 4 or 5 pounds per cubic foot but is usually considerably less than 1 pound per cubic foot.

In the appended claims the expressions dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase and .dense turbulent suspended catalyst zone, are hereby deflnedto mean that phase and zone respectively in a powdered or ilnely-divided-solids catalyst system in which the bulk density is greater than 5 and 4less than 25 pounds per cubic foot and is maintained within these limits by upilowing gases or vapors for maintaining turbulence of the dense suspended catalyst material. There is disengagement of the gas or vapor from the bulk of the catalyst material inl said dense phase whereby the catalyst material may be downwardly withdrawn from the dense turbulent suspended phase ats substantially the same rate as catalyst is in troduced thereto, the main catalyst withdrawal in such case being entirely separate from the withdrawal of gases or vapors. The dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase or zone is superimposed by a dilute or dispersed phase which is withdrawn from the top of the conversion zone. The density of the dilute phase may be as high as 4'or 5 pounds per cubic foot when catalyst is removed therewith instead of being downwardly removed but when the catalyst is downwardly removed the density of the dilute phase is considerably less than 1 pound per cubic foot.' Thus the expression "dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase is intended to include no more than a phase whose average bulk density is within the approximate range of 5 to 25 pounds per cubic foot with a dilute phase superimposed above it and with gases or vapors passing upwardly through it at such vertical velocities as to maintain turbulence and the stated bulk density.

In the cracking of heavy oils, gas oils and residuums, I may employ catalysts made by acid activating natural clays, bentonite or montmorilloniteor I may use synthetic catalysts made generally of mixtures of active metal oxides such as silica, alumina, magnesia, silica gel, etc. For reforming and dehydrogenation I prefer to employ magnesia or alumina promoted by oxides of the V and VI group metals, especially vanadium, chromium and molybdenum.

In the reaction step the catalysts are usually contacted with oil at a temperature of about 800 to 1100 F. under such conditions as to effect the desired conversion. After a certain on-stream or residence time in the reactor the catalyst becomes so coated with carbonaceous material that it must be regenerated. The carbonaceous material contains both carbon and hydrogen and since the regeneration is effected by combustion of the carbonaceous deposit, the regeneration gases contain carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and steam with perhaps small amounts of sulfur dioxide where sulfur compounds were contained in -the original charging stock.

Referring to Figure 1 of 'the accompanying drawings', the spent; catalyst from a conversion stepmay be introduced through ,line I at the base of regeneration chamber II into which air is linjected through line I'2. Preferably the catalyst particles range from about to 100 microns in size although smaller or larger particle sizes may be used. The regeneration chamber is so designed that the vertical vapor velocity of the gases is about 1 'to 4 feet per second, lower velocities being used for finely divided catalyst and higher velocities being used for coarser catalysts. With silica-alumina catalysts averaging about 50 microns in particle size, the vapor velocity may be about 2 to 3 feet per' second. The gas contactv 1 time in the regenerator may be about 10 to 15 ventional means may be employed to keep the regeneration temperature within safe limits, but the control of introduced air is the preferred means for such control.

30 to th'e base of scrubber tower 3|. The amount so removed in the stripper `may be from about 10 to 60%,' more or less, usually about 25 to 35%. The initial boiling point of the remaining residual fraction is raised by about 100 to 200 F.. i. e., toabout 500 to 600 F, or higher. This remaining heavy non-volatile oil passes from the base of stripper column 25 through cooler 32 and line 33 to the top of scrubber 3 I The amount of cooling depends upon the volatility of the charging stock and the relative amount thereof which is charged to the stripper. Usually I prefer to introduce the non-volatile oil through line The hot regeneration gases and partially regenerated catalyst from chamber II may be introduced through line I3 to cyclone separator I4, or any other means may be employed for effecting the desired separation.

Some of the par` tially regenerated catalyst may be withdrawn of oxygen is employedin order to insure completel regeneration of the coarser or larger catalyst` particles. The hot regeneration gases and regenerated catalyst are th'en introduced through line 2| to cyclone separator 22 from which regenerated catalyst is returned through line 23 and line I'l for further use in the conversion system. Instead of cyclone separators, I may use other 33 to the top of the scrubber at a temperature of about 100 to 200 F. In some cases the cooler may be unnecessary and the non-volatile oil may i be simply by-passed through line 34 and line 33 to the top ,of the scrubber. Where all the heat in the gases in line 24 is vnot needed instripper '25, I may by-pass a portion ofthe hot gases through line 24a directly to scrubber 3l.

Another fraction of .the feed stock, which may constitute all of the remaining feed stock, is introduced through line 35A to an intermediate point 0f scrubbing tower 3 I. This relatively cold charging stock condenses most of the hydrocarbons which were vaporized in stripper 25 and intro- 4the scrubber tower 3| I may operate this tower at a sumciently high temperature to eiect the removal of steam as well as C0, CO2, N2, etc.;

through line 3B. 'I'he hot oil leaving the base of the scrubber through line 31 will contain all of the catalyst removed from the regeneration gases v introduced from line 24 and this hotcatalystcontaining oil is then passed through line 38 to a. suitable pipe still for heating to conversion temperatures. That portion of the feed stock which is not required for the stripping and scrubbing steps is by-passed directly through line 39 to line 38. In fact, line 35 may be closed entirely meansfor effecting catalyst separation such as` screens, electrical precipitators, settlers, etc., all of which means are herein termed "mechanical. y

Regeneration gases containing the liner residual catalyst particles are withdrawnfrom cyclone separator I4 through line 24 and introduced at atemperature of about rZ to 105`0 F. into the base of stripper column 25. Regeneration gases' containing an excess of oxygen' whichare discharged from the top of cyclone separator 22 may be discharged through line 26 through a suitable Waste heat boiler, lturbine, or other means for recovering heat energy therein. I may, however,

` close the valve in line 26 and introduce Dart or all of these gases-through line 21 into line 24 leading to the base of stripper 25. j

A portion of the gas oil or other feed stock which is to be charged to the conversion step of the system, preferably about 20 to 40% thereof,

and'all scrubbing in .3l be effected by the oil descending from the absorber zone in the top of 3I.

Stripper column 25 and scrubber 3| may be provided with suitable baffles or bubble plates and it should be understood that instead of using simple towers as shown in the drawings, other suitable apparatus may be employed for effecting the desired stripping, scrubbing and absorption steps. It is essential, however, that the stripping step remove the more volatile components of the charging stock, that the scrubbing step condense the bulk ofthe vaporized hydrocarbons and that the absorption step prevent the losses of volatile hydrocarbons with exit regeneration gases. stripped feed used in the absorber section at the top of 3I should contain substantially no constituents volatile at the conditions prevailing there-y in. The stripping step may be effected by indirect instead of direct contact in `which case thecatalyst is removed from the gases solely in the is introduced through lines 28 and 29 to the top of stripper column 25, preferably at about ordinary atmospheric temperature. As this portion of the feed stock descends through the stripper column counter-currently to the upfiowing hot regeneration gases, the more volatile components of the feed stock are removed therefrom and are carried with the regeneration gases throughline scrubbing zone instead of partly inthe stripping zone. The absorption zone in any case will remove the nal tracesvof catalyst as well as the more volatile hydrocarbons from the exit generation gases.

mycopending application Serial No. 368,081 and The l `7 any means whatsoever may be employed to accomplish this desired catalyst recovery. Regardless of the means employed, this recovery step may only have to be applied to a relativelyv small portion of the regeneration .gases when the multistage regeneration system is used.

In Figure 2 I have illustrated a system wherein the catalyst recovery problem is relatively insignificant but which illustrates certain features of heat removal and temperature control. In very small units heat radiation losses are so great that it is sometimes necessary to actually supply heat to the regenerator in addition to the heat liberated by the combustion of carbonaceous depositson the catalyst. In the system illustrated in Figure 1, the heat lost by radiation coupled with the heat absorbed by the catalyst and in the regeneration gases may keep regenerators Il and IS from exceeding safe temperature limits. For a plant designed for a 10,000 barrel per day through-put of hydrocarbon charging stock, reaction and regeneration vessels, etc., are of such magnitude that heat lost by radiation is relatively insignificant. Heretofore it has been proposed to keep regenerator temperatures Within safe limits by recycling regenerated catalyst through a cooler and back to the regenerator but this practice is objectionable because of the expense of the necessary heat exchangers, equipment, etc., and because of the abrasion and attrition suffered by the catalyst undergoing' such recycling. Heat eX- changers in the regenerator interfere with the `4suspended turbulent dense phase catalyst phenomena and may thus be undesirable. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 2, I have shown how regeneration temperatures may be controlled by the simple expedient of employing 400 to 500% more air than has been heretofore employed and redesigning the regeneration system to accommodate this large amount of air.

Referring to Figure 2, about 10,000 barrels per day of gas oil charging stock are forced by pump 40, through coils 4I in pipe still 42 wherein the charging stock is vaporized and heated to a transfer line temperature of about 850 to 1050 F., in any event to such a temperature that the reaction temperature is in the range of 85,0 to 1050 and preferably about 900 to 925 F., at a transfer line pressure of about 15 pounds per square inch gauge pressure. Hot catalyst, in this case and acid activated montmorillonite clay, from the standpipe 43 is introduced in amounts regulated by valve 44 into transfer line 45 and is carried by the charging stock vapors to reactor 46 which may be a cylindrical vessel about 12 or 13 feet in diameter and about 40 or 50 feet high. The weight ratio of catalyst-to-oil. in this suspended catalyst stream in transfer line 45 may range from about 0.5:1 to 16:1 but is preferably about 4:`1. The vertical vapor velocity in reactor 46 is preferably about 11/2 to 21/2 feet per second. The temperature in the reactor is uniform throughout, for example, about 900 F. The pressure may1 range from about 13 pounds per square inch at the base of the reactor to about 6 or 8 pounds Per square inch at the top of the reactor. 'I'he gas contact time may be about 10 to 20 seconds.

Gases are removed from the dilute or dispersed catalyst phase inthe top of the reactor through inlets 41 to cyclone separators 48 which may be connected in series or parallel, or both. Dip legs "49 return separated catalyst to a point below l the dense phase level. Reaction products are taken overhead'through lines v5 0 to a fractionation system forseparating 'a motor fuel fraction from lighter and heavier products. The fractionation system per se forms no part of the present invention and it is, therefore, not shown in the drawings.

Once the desired level of the dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase in the reactor has been established, catalyst -is withdrawn from this phase through stripping zone and standpipe 52 at about the same rate as catalyst is introduced through transfer line 45. Stripping steam is introduced through line 53 and aeration steam through line 54 for removing hydrocarbons from the catalyst and maintaining this catalyst in fluent condition.

The stripped spent catalyst is discharged from the base of standpipe 52 in amounts regulated by valve 55 and is then picked up by carrier air from line ,56 and carried through line 51 to the iirst stage regenerator 58. Air diluted tant that the amount of oxygen present in line 51 should be insuiicient to cause overheating of the catalyst in the transfer line due to combustion. When processing 10,000 barrels per day of oil, 600,000 pounds per hour of catalyst containing about 6,000 pounds per hour of carbonaceous material, may be discharged from the base of standpipe 52 at a temperature of about 900 F. It may be picked up with about 6,500 pounds per hour of air from line 56 at a pressure of about 27 pounds per square inch gauge and at a temperature of about 250 F. resulting from the heat of compression. Combustion in the transfer line may raise the vtemperature of the catalyst and gases to about 950 F. at their point of introduction into regenerator 58. An additional 0,000 pounds per hour of air may be introduced at the base of the regenerator through line 59. The 12,500 pounds per hour of air thus employed will effect the combustion of sufficient carbonaceous material to increase the temperature of the catalyst and gases to almost l000 F. provided, of course, that sufficient time is allowed for this combustion. Regenerator 58 may be about 6 feet in diameter and about 20 to 40 feet in height so that th vertical gas velocity therein will be of the order of about 1 to 2 feet per second and so that sufficient time will be allowedl for substantially complete utilization of the oxygen.

Regeneration gases are withdrawn from the dilute phase from the top of this regenerator through inlets 60 to cyclones 6I from which separated catalyst is returned to the dense phase through dip legs '62. The oxygen-free regeneration gases which contain substantial amounts of carbon' monoxide are Withdrawn through lines 63 either through line 64 which may lead to a scrubber or catalyst recovery means or through line 65' which leads to combustion chamber 65a. A

Catalyst is withdrawn from a point below the level of the dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase in regenerator 58 through conduit 66 which is aerated by a small -amount of air or other gas introduced through line 61. Valve 68 controls the rate of catalyst removal so as to maintain a substantially constant level of dense phase in regenerator 58 and the removed catalyst is introduced directly into second-stage regenerator 69. Instead of direct introduction I may rapidly disperse the catalyst in regenerator 69 by means of a carrier gas or any other suitable injection means.

Since the catalyst enters regenerators 69 at with flu'e gas may be employed, but it is impor` about 1000 F. and since in this particular example the regenerator temperature is maintained at 1000 F., according to my invention, a suicient amount of air is introduced through line to carry away the heat liberated by the combustion of the remaining carbonaceous material in the catalyst. The amount of air required for this purpose far exceeds; the amount necessary for effecting the combustion and in each case will, of course, depend upon the actual amount of carbonaceous material which vwas deposited on the original spent catalyst. In this particular example I introducefabout 300,- 000 to 350,000 pounds per hour of air at the base of regenerator 69 the regenerator itself being about 34 to 36 feet in diameter and about' 40 to 50` feet high. With such amounts of air, all of the heat liberated by burning the rest of the carbonaceous material from the catalyst is absorbed in the regeneration gases themselves and a suiliciently high oxygen concentration is maintained Vto effect substantially complete combustion of the regeneration `gases introduced through line 65 to regenerator 58. Conventional combustion catalysts may be employed in chamber 65a and the gases which leave this chamber through line 11 are much hotter and, therefore,` more valuable for supplying heat for power than the gases discharged through lines 64 and 15.

Catalyst is withdrawn from the dense turbulent catalyst phase in regenerator 69 through stripping zone 18 to standpipe 43. Stripping steam is introduced through line 19. The standpipe is aerated by steam introduced through line 80.

The temperature control .may be employed by cutting regenerator 58 out of the system entirely and introducing spent catalyst through lines 51 and Bl directly into regenerator 59. In this case,

From the above description many other modications and alternative structures will be apparent to those skilled in'the art. My invention has been described with reference to a, specific example but it should be understood that said invention isnot limited to' the particular operating conditions therein set forth.v .An engineer skilled inthe art can readily determine from the above description y the operating conditions, reactor sizes, etc., required in any powdered catalyst system of this type.

I claimr. u

1'. The method of regenerating powdered catalyst that has become spent because of carbonaceous deposits thereon which method comprises introducing said catalyst into a first regeneration zone, passing air upwardly through said zone at such a rate as to maintain a dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase therein and in such limited quantity as to maintain the temperature of said zone within safe limits and to produce carbon monoxide, removing initial products of combustion including carbon monoxide from said first zone, removing catalyst from said rst zone at a point below the level of the dense catalyst phase therein, introducing said removed catalyst into a second regeneration zone, introducing relatively cool air into the second regeneration zone and passing it upwardly in said second regeneration zone at such arate as to maintain a dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase therein and' in such amounts as to abstract the heat/of combustion therein in excessof heat lost by radiation i tained oxygen burns the carbonmonoxide from however, it may be necessary to increase the amount of air introduced through line 10 not only to compensate for the air introduced through line 59 in the two-stage system but also to carry away the heat of combustion of carbon monoxide to carbon 'dioxide which' is otherwise effected in chamber a of the two-stage system.

It should be'understood that regenerator 69 may be provided with any suitable means for distributing the air in the base thereof other than the simple cone-shaped bottom shown in the drawings. Instead of using a single regenerator I may employ two or more regenerators connected in parallel. The foregoing data and conditions have been presented as an example of the operation with one type of stock and catalyst. The use of denser and coarser catalyst may require higher vapor velocities. Certain catalysts such as synthetic silica-alumina containingl about 5 to 25% of alumina, may be regenerated at higher temperatures, for example 1,200 to 1,400 F., thereby as to maintain the temperature of said zone with-- reducing materially the size of the apparatus and 7 amount of air to be handled.

and absorbed by catalyst within safe temperature limits, withdrawing a regeneration gas containing at least 10% oxygen from the top of said second zone, `withdrawin'g regenerated catalyst from the dense phase of said second zone at a point below the level of said dense phase and stripping said withdrawn catalyst with an inert gas in order to remove any oxygen-containing gases therefrom.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes the further step of burning carbon monoxide in gases f leaving the first zone by means of oxygen contained in regeneration gases leaving said second zone to provide a high temperature source of heat energy.

3. The method of regenerating solid .catalyst material4 of small particle size that has become spent because of carbonaceous deposits thereon, which method comprises introducing said solid catalyst material into a first regeneration zone, passing an oxygen-containing gas upwardly in said zone at such a rate as to-maintain a dense turbulent suspended solids phase therein at combustion temperature and in such limited quantity in safeV limits and to produce carbon monoxide, removing initial products of combustion including carbon monoxide from said first zone, removing catalyst from said first zone at a point below the level of the dense catalyst phase therein, introducing said removed catalyst into a second regeneration zone, introducing a relatively cool oxygen-containing gas into the second regeneration zone and passing it upwardly in the second regeneration zone at such a rate as to maintain a dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase therein at combustion temperature and in such amounts as to abstract the heat of combustion therein in excess of heat lost .by radiation and absorbed by catalyst within safe temperature limits, withdrawing a regeneration gas containing at least 10% oxygen from the top of said second 'i1 zone and withdrawing regenerated catalyst from thedense phase of the second zone at a point below the level of said dense phase.

4. The method of regenerating a spent pow' dered'catalyst` contaminated with carbonaceous deposits which method comprises suspending said catalyst in an upwardly owlng-oxygen-containing gas stream in a first regeneration zone wherein the amount of oxygen is suiiicient to cause only partial combustion of said deposits and to keep the temperature of the catalyst within safe limits, producing in said4 rst zone a gas which is substantially free from uncombined oxygen` but I which contains substantial amounts of carbon with uncombined oxygen in the regeneration gases leaving said second zone.

5. Themethod of regenerating solid catalyst material of` small particle size that has become deactivated because of Acarbonaceous deposits thereon, which method comprises introducing said solid catalyst material into a rst regeneration zone, passing an oxygen-containing gas upwardly in said zone at such a rate as to maintain a dense turbulent suspended solids phase therein at a temperature sufficient to effect partial combustion of carbonaceous deposits and in such limited quantity as to maintain the temperature of said zone within safe limits and to produce substantial amounts of carbon monoxide, removing from the upper part vof said rst zone gaseous combustion products including said carbon monoxide, removing partially regenerated catalyst from said rst zone at a point below the level of the dense catalyst phase therein, introducing said removed catalyst into a separate second regeneration zone, introducing into the lower part of said second regeneration zone an amount of relatively cool oxygen-containing gas which far exceeds the'amount necessary for effecting the combustion therein and passing said oxygen-containing gas upwardly therein at such a rate as to maintain a dense turbulent suspended catalyst phase at a temperature sucient to eiect further combustion of carbonaceous material and in amounts such as to abstract the heat of combustion which is in excess-of heat lost by radiation and heat absorbed by the catalyst within safe temperature limits, withdrawing from the upper part of said second regeneration zone a gas stream rich in free oxygen, separately Withdrawing regenerated catalyst from the dense phase in the second regeneration zone at a point below the level of said dense phase and conducting the carbon monoxide-containing gas withdrawnfrom the rst regeneration Zone and the free oxygen-containing gas withdrawn from the second regeneration zone away from said zones as separate streams to prevent any combustion of said carbon monoxide with said excess oxygenl from liberating heat in either regeneration zone.

- VANDERVEER VOORHEES.

ille of this patent:

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